Valve construction



y 1944- H. "r. LAMBERT 2,348,827

VALVE CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 31, 1941 EIIEE- 1N VENTOR #0 er 7. Admier'zi Patented May 16, 1944 VALVE CONSTRUCTION Homer T. Lambert, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor to The Lambert Brake Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich a corporation of Michigan Original application October 31, 1941, Serial No. 417,309. Divided and this application May 19, 1943, Serial No. 487,612

*2 Claims: (Cl. 137-144) The present invention relates to a valve construction and particularly relates to improvements in magnetic valve structures. The present application is a division of the co-pending application of Homer T. Lambert, Serial No. 417,309, filed October 31, 1941.

One of the primary object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the valve structur of the type mentioned, which may be operated under high pressures, for example, up to one thousand pounds per square inch, without leakage.

Another object of th invention is to provide improvements in the valve of the type mentioned which is positive'in its'action in both seating and unseating the valve element.

Another object is to provide improvements in valve structure of the type mentioned in which the valve closure element is positively engaged to be unseated from its closure position.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing relating thereto, and fromthe claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate li e pa ts in the several views throughout:

Figure l is a cross-sectional view through a valve embodying features of the present inven tion;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational and cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

The valve of the present invention has particular utility when used in high speed industrial machines and machinery when it becomes necessary to change the flow of hydraulic pressure from one operation to another, which may be accomplished by thestructure of the present invention by simply actuating an electric switch. In such use there may be a central distribution point from which there would be several high pressure lines operating many machines. The electromagnetic valves of the present type may then be used to shut oil pressure from any particular line and from a remote control.

Referring to the drawing, one form of the present invention is illustrated in which a valve is generally indicated at I04, and includes a cylindrical body portion I06 formed of non-magnetic metal, such as brass, providing an annular chamber I08 and having a closure plate IIO threadably received under the open end thereof. A central stem portion H2 is formed integral with the opposite side of the body portionIM and is provided with a central bore Ill therethroush.

The body portionI08 is provided with a plurality of radial apertures H6 at spaced intervals therearound, there being five such apertures provided in the embodiment shown, and also provided with another radial aperture II! which is interposed between two of the apertures I I6. An inlet conduit I20 is connected to the aperture II8 for introducing fluid under pressure into the interior of the valve. Such conduit I20 may be connected to a suitable source of fluid, such as oil, under pressure. Each of the apertures II6 has a conduit member I22 connected thereto. Such conduit member I22 leads to a suitable operating mechanism. Members I22 are formed of magnetic metal, and each of such members I22 may be provided with an element I23. The elements I23 are non-mag netic, metal, tubular bushings which are relatively thin and which are pressed into the inner ends of the cores I22, so. as to prevent the'metal balls I26 from adhering to or sticking to their seats with respect to the cores I22. This is a safety measure in order to insure proper and positive action of, the valves in that the cores I22 and the balls I26 may remain magnetized to some extent and the balls would then not release or disengage from their cores to which they are attached. With the thin portions of the nonmagnetic members I23, the balls are dropped as soon as the electric current is disconnected or the circuit is broken.

The conduits I22 form the cores for electric coils I24 which embrace the cores I22 adjacent the apertures II6 so that the cores I22 will be magnetized upon energization. Such coils I24 are connected to a suitable source of electric energy. Suitable control means may be associated with each one of the cores for independently actuating such cores, or may be connected to a suitable control for automatically energizing the cores.

In order to block the flow of fluid through any one of the conduits I22 a valve element in the form of a ball I26 is provided for each one of such conduits. The balls I26 are formed from suitable magnetic metal to have the highest magnetic attraction obtainable.

The body portion I06 of the valve is'preferably formed with a ball seat I28 and grooved guideway I30 adjacent each of the apertures II6 to provide a seat and guideway for the ball in its travel from its seat to a closed position over the inner end of the conduit I22. In order to keep such balls in position a case 323 is mounted within the valve body we and is provided with a plurality of slots 8% therein, adjacent each of the apertures lit. The cage Q28 thus provides an annular chamber so that the inlet chamber M3 is in communication with all of the conduits i22.

Thus when any 01 the coils 626 are energized the core I22 is magnetized to draw its corresponding ball use iron). its seat to a position over the inner end of the core I22 to block passage therethrough. The ball will remain in such position until the circuit through the particular core is broken and willthen return to its seat and reopen communication through that particular conduit I22. Fluid under pressure entering from conduit I20 thus may be blocked ofi in its passage through any of the conduits I22.

In order to insure release of the balls from their seats against cores I22 a positive means is provided. Such means includes a member I32 which is provided with a central cylindrical portion I34 which is slidably received within the bore H4. Such member I32 is provided at the head end with a plurality of radially disposed g5 fingers I36 which are adapted to project within the slots I! 3t. 2

Another electric coil I38 embraces the tubular portion H2 of the valve and also embraces the cylindrical portion I34 of the member I32. An end cap I40 is threadably fixed to the end of the member 2 and has a coil spring I82 disposed therein which abuts against the end of the cylindrical member I34 to urge the member I32 together with the fingers I33 to its inoperative position against the end member H3. The core I34 is formed of a magnetizable material so that when the circuit is completed through coil assess? I38 the core I34 will be drawn to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, against the action of spring I42. The fingers I36 will then pass through the slots I30 and strike the balls I26, after such balls are on their seats against cores I22 to knock such balls away from the cores I 22 into the seats I23.

As stated above, a suitable circuit may be provided for actuating the coils I24. For example, each of the coils I24 may be connected through wires I50 and I52 with a storage battery I34. A suitable switch or operating button I53 may be interposed in the circuit for completing or breaking the flow of current therethrough.

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic valve comprising a valve housing having an interior chamber, means providing an inletinto said chamber, means providing a plurality of outlets from said chamber, said last-named means including a plurality of magnetizable conduit members, a ball valve element disposed in said chamber for each of said outlets, means to selectively magnetize said conduit members to attract said ball valve members, and electromagnetically actuated movable means to engage and positively release all 01' said ball valve members from said conduit members.

2. An electromagnetic valve comprising a valve housing having an interior chamber, means providing an inlet into said chamber, means providing a plurality of outlets from said chamber, said last-named means including a plurality of magnetizable conduit members, a ball valve element disposed in said chamber for each of said outlets, means to selectively magnetize said conduit members to attract said ball valve members, and means to positively release all of said ball valve members from said conduit members.

HOMER T. LAMBERT. 

